Strengthening Your Fortitude

I want to share the title of this message today.

It is called Strengthening your fortitude.

Strengthening your fortitude. So what is fortitude?

Well, fortitude is courage in pain or adversity.

It is strength of mine that enables a person to encounter

danger or bear pain or adversity with courage.

God wants to give you courage. Amen.

God wants you to be a man, a woman of faith that others can

look to and say that is what a true disciple of Jesus looks

like. Not just from what comes out of

their mouth or what's in their head, but how they live their

life and how they've been living faithfully before the Lord for

years. My friend, I don't like the

evangelism that says come to Jesus so you can go to heaven.

That's not why we do evangelism. We do evangelism so that Christ

would be. Formed in somebody and heaven is

wonderful and nobody wants to go to hell.

But if we only come to God so we can go to heaven and not go to

hell, then we never allow heaven to come to us in our lives on

this earth. And when hell comes against you,

you don't know how to deal with it.

See, that's why greater is He who is in you than he that's in

the world. That's why Jesus taught us to

pray our Father, which is in heaven, hallowed be your name,

your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth in my life as it

is in heaven. That's what God wants to

accomplish in you as a disciple of Christ.

What does it? Mean to be strong in the Lord.

Recently I was at a youth conference in the western part

of Maryland. It was it's called firebrand.

And they've been doing this for many over 2 decades.

And this year the theme of Firebrand is called Forged by

the Fire and I did not. Get to speak at it, which

normally every year is. I do if I'm there, but I I was

kind of late and letting them know if I would be able to come.

But a really cool thing would happen is that Jonathan was able

to speak at it and and I think this is the second time he's

done this. But it was very different this

time because Jonathan has undergone some challenges in his

own life. And what really blessed me is

that as a father, I could who's normally in front, I could watch

my son sharing his heart out of the overflow of what God's done

in him and hear the testimonies that come from his own life.

And the impact is so powerful. You see, that's really the goal

of why we have FIRE School of Ministry.

We had our teachers faculty meeting last night, just kind of

a gathering to get everybody on the same page.

We had a meal together. We shared the heart of what Fire

School's all about and just share different details that

would be helpful to the unity of what we can all do together for

this next semester. But I always say this about Fire

School. It's really just my excuse to be

in relationship with people that God's designing us to be in

relationship with. Because I want to pour into

people. And I also recognize that what I

have to offer to pour into people is not enough.

And that's why I love that we have so many different people

that pour into our students on a regular basis because I know

that they're going to undergo some tremendous challenges.

They're going to step out and do things that they've never done

before, but. On the theme of Firebrand Forged

by Fire, you could see the T-shirt right here and on the

back of the shirt says Forged by Fire and then it has a.

Few items here, I want you to take notice.

This is what's called this big piece of iron is called a anvil.

That's what the blacksmith uses to put the metal on so that he

can hammer away and mold that sword or piece of metal.

You see the sword right here, You see the hammer, and you see

the flames. In the Bible forge, the word

forge primarily refers to a physical act of shaping metal,

using heat and hammering. It also carries A metaphorical

meaning, often symbolizing God's transformative work in an

individual's life through trials and difficulties.

What you don't want to endure? God says I'll make you better

through. I'll make you more valuable

through. I will teach you how to be

faithful. I will teach you how to identify

with me better. You remember that Jesus came and

endured horrible pain. And if he didn't?

Endure that pain. You and I would not be free.

You and I would not be healed. Even when Jesus prayed in John

John 17 · chapter mention

chapter 17 and he's talking to his Father about the ones that

he's given himself up for in the future generations that will

come, he said. I sanctify myself for them.

What does that mean? I set myself apart for them.

That means that My Holiness and my obedience and my devotion of

what you send me to the earth to do is going to benefit them for

all of eternity. As people who call ourselves

followers of Christ or disciples of Christ, we too must learn how

to sanctify ourself with the Word of God and with the

presence of God. Because if the holiest man,

whoever lived on the face of this earth, said, I have to set

myself apart, how much more should you and I.

And see, when we receive by faith the power of the Holy

Spirit to set our lives apart, to serve the Lord and be wholly

devoted to Him, we allow His Holiness, purity, integrity,

righteousness, all of these virtues of the character and

nature of God to become who we are.

And we become better. We become more like the identity

that Christ created us to look like and as we sanctify

ourselves. We teach the next next

generation or those whom we are pouring into to disciple of how

they too should live before Christ.

I want to show you a video and I forgot to mention that this has

sound. Do you have an ability to put

sound? OK, I'm going to show you a

quick video here of how a Japanese master turns sand and

he takes iron. Now I'm not showing you the

whole video turns it into swords.

Next, this is when the forging of the sword begins in a coal

oven with hand pumped bellows. The steel is heated until it is

soft and malleable. Then using hammers, the master

swordsmith flattens out the steel.

In the old days this would have been done by the swordsmith and

three apprentices. The swordsmith using a smaller

hammer would set the rhythm and the apprentices would use big

mallets to flatten the steel. That was terrifying.

These days electric hammers are used when the steel is flat

enough, it is then bent back on itself and it is then hammered

again to press the steel back together into a solid block.

So why go to all this effort flattening the steel only to

fold it back on itself and end up with a chunk of steel the

same size as before? Well, because folding does 2

very important things. First, it spreads out the

impurities like silicon, sulfur, and phosphorus.

It spreads them out throughout the steel.

This ensures a uniform consistency without any weak

points. Second, it gives the steel a

grain. After folding the sword it is

now reinforced in the direction that it will be hit in combat

and as a bonus the steel is exposed to the air so there is a

small amount of oxidation creating a darker colored steel

which when folded makes beautiful patterns.

There are some swords which have more than a billion layers.

Now this doesn't mean the sword has been folded a billion times

since every fold double S the number of layers.

So you only need about 30 folds to get a billion layers, but

usually a sword is folded 10 to 13 times, resulting in a few

1000 layers of steel. So you could see the process of

what takes place. And Japanese swords are known in

the world as the strongest swords in history, but they've

undergone such pressure, such intense.

Heat that they get folded over and every time that he puts it

back in the fire and it gets hammered away, it pushes out

impurities. Are you hearing because one day

we want we're going to become a beautiful.

Sword in God's hand. Amen.

Let's go on to the next. Now I want to show you

something. While I was.

Worshiping at the Firebrandt conference and was looking at

somebody's T-shirt with the logo on the back.

This is what the Lord showed me. He said the anvil right here are

fathers, fathers and mothers. God's Word is the.

Hammer sons and daughters are the sword.

The Holy Spirit is the intense heat when fathers are not a

strong anvil and you have metal sons and daughters, swords that

are being laid upon these anvils to be forged.

If they're not strong in the Lord, the sons and daughters

will not be strong in the Lord. In fact, let me give you an

example. I need a father.

Do we have a father? Son.

In here. OK, Yeah.

Come here. Come on up here.

All right, Put your phone away now.

See. Get on your hands and knees.

Right here, son. Down hands and knees.

Yep. OK, you're in Anvil.

OK. Come here.

Come here. Isaiah.

Isaiah, if you don't come now, I'm going to turn the heat up,

brother. Come here.

Come here. Come here.

All right? I need a stand in, son.

OK, Come here. Yeah.

OK. All right.

Put your phone away. It's like an extension of the

hand. OK, I want you to lay.

All right, Renante, turn the other way.

Turn. Yep.

There you go. Nope.

Nope. And face.

Yeah. Horizontal.

Yeah. There you go.

OK, there you go. All right.

Come over here. I want you to.

Nope, Nope. I want you to lay back-to-back.

OK. Yeah.

Ah. There you go.

And just relax. OK, Renante can hold it for a

while. Anybody got a Bible?

Anybody have a Bible on them? I'm using my computer here.

Here's the hammer, friend. So what I want you to see here

is if I take this hammer like God does with His word, and I

hit, you got a little scared there.

Listen, when we play basketball, don't foul me, OK?

It's going to be like a hammer. OK, no, you you get the

impression you get the idea is that if that father is not

strong enough to hold up that son or that daughter and the.

Hammer of God's Word. Look, God's word is written.

It's not going to change. The problem is when we have bad

examples who are weak and cannot hold up under the sons and

daughters, that when the hammer of God's word comes down on this

generation, they become weak because they don't want to

endure any pain. But when they have a good solid

foundation underneath them of men and women who live in

holiness, you know what happens. They get hit and they feel it,

but they're able to endure and live the life of what others can

see. How a disciple should be forged

in the fire of. God, Amen.

You can get up. Thank you guys.

Fathers in the faith are the anvil, sons and daughters of the

sword being forged. God's word is the hammer.

The fire is the Holy Spirit's power.

Listen, the blood of Jesus is what qualifies us to do.

Anything in the Kingdom of heaven.

Yet whenever the church lacks authentic biblical leadership,

we begin to overlook the need for mentors, fathers and mothers

in the faith to prepare the next generation of value, what Jesus

gave his life for. If you don't have fathers and

mothers that are serious about their relationship with God,

that's why it's so hard for you to be able to accept leadership

from somebody else who you don't have relationship with.

So people coming to church and it takes years for them to build

trust and relationship with. And many times leaders are so

stuck on just being in platforms that they don't have any

influence in the life of those young men or young women outside

of the church. Therefore, we don't see their

character tested, and This is why we have youth groups full of

young people. We can have youth camp full of

people, but then you have discipleship groups that are

much smaller most of the time. Look, Jesus did two things.

He cast the net to the crowd and then what did he do?

He focused on meeting with those 12 men that that was his

purpose. I don't know what the percentage

was of how much public time and private time he had disciples,

but let's just say it was 5050. He poured into his disciples

every day. He taught them how to pray.

He taught them how to step out in faith and do things they

never thought they would do. And then they watched him go out

in public and feed thousands and forgive adulterers.

He would, you know, he would rebuke the Pharisees, religious

leaders who were not functioning as good anvils.

They were weak, weak. And what they knew the word of

God of what was written up to that time, because there was no

New Testament at their time. But what they didn't know, they

weren't applying, and So what happened was they were not

developing good disciples who make good disciples because

their anvil was not strong. When fathers do not live as

anvils of holiness, then whenever God uses His Word like

a hammer to forge sons and daughters in the faith, they

will not be prepared to handle temptation, trials, and

tribulations. When the anointing of the Holy

Spirit is manifested by the faithfulness of godly leaders,

the generation after them will have the fortitude, the

strength, the courage to demonstrate the power of God.

You know why people don't want to demonstrate the power of God?

For a couple of reasons. One is they don't know if those

things still happen today. And then they can't find any

leaders who have lived a life of integrity that talk about the

power of God as if it's something that they understand.

Let me tell you, I have not seen all the miracles and things that

I believe. I want to see, but I have seen

more than enough to convince me way beyond what the Word of God

has already convinced me, that God works miracles and.

I have an incredible burden. Pastor Arm and Libot Casey Buddy

Monette. Other leaders in this community

have an incredible burden of the Lord for you to look at our

lives and to say these people are the real deal.

And why do I talk about this publicly?

Because I want to be held accountable.

You have to understand my thinking.

Well over 25 years ago, here I was living in sin, addiction to

lust and anger and selfishness and pride.

And now I go on a trip for five weeks away from my wife and

family, traveling in so many different places.

I could absolutely go do things that nobody else would know or

wouldn't find out unless the Lord exposed it.

And let me tell you something, I have such a great honor towards

my wife. Because of the trust that she

gives me in situations like that, because you know what, I

have no desire to build a Dream Center, to have a big ministry

and then throw it all away because of the lack of integrity

issues. I am not saying I'm perfect

because I'm not. But will I?

I will tell you is that I desire accountability and I am not

above anybody else in this room. In fact, to me, leadership is

what Paul calls foundational stones for the building of the

church. Jesus Christ is the cornerstone,

and you've heard me talk about this a lot, where from the

cornerstone comes apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers and

evangelists, right? And then you have living stones,

which is all of us in this room that are built upon the

foundation. Why is it that we're always

telling people, oh, what great men and women of God are on

platforms when they really just need to be in the dirt?

What am I saying? I'm saying you don't look at a

foundation of a house. You look at the house that's

been built, you look at the disciples who've made disciples,

you look at the examples that God has raised up.

And some of you have been walking with the Lord for a long

time. And God is strengthening your

fortitude. He's giving you courage.

He's giving you hope. Why?

Because he has plans to use your life for other people to look at

and to say that's what Christianity looks.

Like we went to the funeral the other day of ATI Libot's father

and I heard Pastor Armin, ATI Libot and Gerald share their

heart. And Gerald, I want to tell you

how proud I am of you. And, and, and, and I'm serious

because it was a beautiful representation of a young man

that has surrendered his life to Jesus and shared personal

testimony of how God used him to even influence his grandfather.

It was beautiful. And, and I want to tell you what

it reminded me of. It reminded me of when I was 18

years old and my grandfather died.

My grandfather was a good man. He was from Spain, the Canary

Islands. And in fact, years later I found

out that he was not my grandfather, that my real

grandfather was somebody who I never met.

Actually, I have two grandfathers that I've never

met, my mom's side and my dad's side.

My dad's grandfather died or father died when he was 18, I

believe, years old or somewhere around there.

And then my mom did not grow up with her father.

But Louis Padilla sounds Filipino, right, Padilla?

Well, that's how you say it here.

You would never say that in Puerto Rico.

But he became my mom's stepfather.

And growing up, my entire life, I thought he was my grandfather.

And he always treated me like I was his real grandson.

And he had, he was dying from cancer.

And I remember going to visit him in the hospital and I spent

time and I was kind of new to the things of God.

And I did share with him about Jesus and talk with him.

I'm not really sure where he's at.

But what I do know is that he really did love my grandmother

and was a very strong and faithful man to her.

And when I left the hospital, I was just thinking about this

story because the day before I came back to the Philippines, I

started my trip back on Monday. I left a place called Albany, NY

and I was driving to Kingston, NY and then going South to

Philadelphia. In Kingston, NY is where my

grandfather, it was where I was actually born, and it's where my

grandfather was in the hospital. And as I was thinking about

that, I was remembering how the day that I left the hospital

after visiting my grandfather, I felt like I knew he had died.

By the time I got home, my parents told me that my

grandfather died and I had just seen him.

Actually, I had just got my driver's license and I went to

go see him that day. So I was able to drive by

myself. So I was thinking about that on

Monday, not realizing that I would be at the funeral for you

guys this week. I didn't know if we would make

it or, or all that. So when you were sharing, it

really reminded me of that. And that's going to be with you

as a good memory for the rest of your life.

Let me give you some scriptures about being strong in the Lord.

Joshua 19 Have I not commanded you be strong in the Lord, and

of good courage? Do not be afraid nor be

dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you.

Go Amen. Psalm 18 verse 2 The Lord is my

Psalms 18:2

rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength,

and whom I. Trust my shield and the horn, or

my strength of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my friend.

You're never going to know that the Lord is your strength unless

you lean into Him in Ephesians 610.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and the power of His

might. Now I have 7 points I'm going to

quickly go through that I believe will encourage you.

First of all, prelude prepares our fortitude.

What does prelude mean? It's it's kind of to be the

beginning, the introduction of something.

When I think about that, I think about repentance introduces us

to the Lord's strength. If you don't know how to be

strong in the Lord, you've got to learn how to live a repentant

lifestyle. You've got to learn that

repentance is not a one time event, but it is a daily

lifestyle. And if you would understand that

you have a right to come to your Heavenly Father in the secret

place and pray and talk with Him and share your heart with Him

and unload your sin him. I want you to know God is not

intimidated by your sin. He's not.

He's not afraid of it. You're not the worst person

who's ever lived the things that you struggle with.

The enemy wants you to feel guilty, condemned, and ashamed.

He wants you to have fear that you will never breakthrough.

But here's the reality. When you learn that repentance

is a gift and that you could come to the Lord and unload your

heart, this is how you produce fruit and your roots go deep

into the soil of God's Word. And it strengthens you over time

because you realize that God loves you and He knows you and

He cares about you and He's. Provided a way for you to be

forgiven again and again and again.

Amen #2 Solitude. Empowers our fortitude.

What is that? It's valuing God's voice that

strengthens our prophetic voice. How are you going to learn God's

voice? You've heard me share this

before. You've got to read God's word.

I don't understand it, Eric. I get.

That I've been there, done that 100 times or more.

I will tell you this, read it over and over and over again.

You know, there's one thing people say, you know, Filipinos

are amazing because of how much English they could speak.

It's a lot easier for people who come here as foreigners to speak

with Filipinos. But over the years of living

here, I recognize that some Filipinos speak 15% English,

some 30. Some 50, some 75, right or or

more, but some speak better than I do.

But if you want to learn English, you have to develop a

English vocabulary. And as you develop a English

vocabulary, you're going to start to flow with words and put

together sentences and say things that will make sense.

God's Word is our vocabulary. And if you read it even though

you don't understand it and you ask for insight from the author,

how many books? Do you read and you get to ask

the author what is he talking about?

I I'm serious, I know when you read the book of Nahum or

Habakkuk. Write or you read something that

is just like, I don't understand it.

So the book of numbers, this guy begets this guy begets this guy

begets this guy. Chapter 12345 you know, and it's

like, this is hard to understand.

What's the value of all this? Look, I'm not telling you that

you're going to understand all of those things.

I still don't understand all of the genealogy stuff, but I know

it's important that it's in there.

And I and I know that there are times that God spoke to me about

scriptures that made no sense to me, that eventually became

foundation stones in my walk with God.

But what does it do? It increases our vocabulary, our

biblical vocabulary. And as you devote yourself to

the word of God, you're going to become a prophetic voice.

Not just a voice, not just somebody who speaks and says I'm

a Christian, but somebody who applies the word of God in their

life. The Word of God renews their

minds. It changes the way you use your

time. It changes your convictions to

where you pay attention. I shouldn't look at this.

I shouldn't listen to this. Where it changes your attitude,

it changes is what comes out of your mouth.

And over time you become discipled by the Holy Spirit and

God's Word Himself. Listen, I believe mentors help

us tremendously. I believe these anvils in our

lives are so important. But Frank, can I tell you

something? If you were thrown in jail and

didn't have anybody to lean into, Jesus said I'll never

leave you or forsake you. The Holy Spirit is with you.

I've heard stories of the Chinese persecuted Church of

people who were given one sheet of paper with 300 different

scriptures on it, and they would memorize those scriptures and

then they would pass it on to the next person and the next

person and the next person and all these people would would

memorize these scriptures and they would have no physical

Bible. How many of us have Bibles?

How many of us have it on our phone, on our computer?

We have scriptures right in our house or, or what, what have

you. There's so many options that we

have. My friend.

If you want to be a voice of strength, a voice of courage, a

voice that God uses to prophesied to others that he is

still speaking today, you've got to put your head.

In God's Word, Amen. #3 servitude responds to our

fortitude. Serving others strengthens your

faithfulness. It just does.

We have incredible people in this community.

We have people that serve wholeheartedly and they don't do

it for handcuffs. We could probably bring people

on this platform every week and say, look at what so and so's

done, friend. It's amazing to me.

I was so blessed to see what Josh and the guys did with just

that little, you know, structure that was built outside for IGF.

And now we're getting to use it for this as well.

But, you know, nobody gave. John, where's Josh?

Here's your All right, let's get my hand clapped, OK?

And yeah, you too, you too. And just make sure you pass me

the ball later tonight, OK. But there's there's people who

come and pray before services on Sunday.

There's people who who do things financially for this church.

There's people who pray in secret.

There's people who bring others and lead discipleship groups and

all the all the things that happen on a regular basis.

My friend, most of the time what you do in secret, nobody's going

to give you a hand clap or a pat on the back. 4 But the reason

why you do it is because you do it to serve the way that your

master served. Jesus made himself of no

reputation, taking the very nature of a servant, committed

himself to dying on a. Cross.

When he was not, when he had not committed any crimes.

See, that's our example. This is how you and I set

ourselves apart and sanctify our own lives to say God.

We believe in Your Word and we believe in the value of

faithfulness and serving when nobody else is looking because

we simply do what we do to honor the name of Jesus #4 Altitude

depends on our fortitude. You know, humility is what

strengthens your elevation. All of us want God to use us.

Amen. Who wants God to use them?

Raise your hand. Yeah.

Well, we kind of wait. On the Lord to do some things

for us. Sometimes we look for open

doors. We look for somebody to give us

a promotion or to recognize us. But here's the deal.

Positioning yourself and humility is what nobody claps

for. Some of you moms stay at home

moms, you take care of your kids, you change diapers, you

clean the house, you you cook, you work, maybe during the night

time. There's all kinds of things that

you do and nobody notices it, but you do it because you love

your family, you love the Lord, and sure you would like to go

out and do some things that others get to do, and you don't

get to do it. But God watches what you do, and

because you do it is unto Him and not unto man.

God says, I will elevate you. Your humility speaks volumes.

You're brokenness. You're depending on Christ and

weakness even when you're not honored and respected or

forgotten or overlooked. Maybe some of you are an older

sibling and the younger one gets all the focus all the time,

right? Hannah?

Look, I, I don't know what the issue is.

Maybe you're you work at a job and the same person gets

promoted all the time and you seem to get overlooked.

Friend, you've got to convince yourself that God is watching

you and he's not from a distance.

He knows exactly how to elevate you.

Look, maybe where you are is not even about the money.

Maybe it's about winning somebody to Jesus.

Maybe it's something in the greater perspective of the

Kingdom of God that you just don't understand.

And if you're always questioning why you're in this situation and

when things are going to get better for you and all of that,

friend, I just want you to know you might be missing God because

you're not paying attention to where you're at right now.

Just fix your eyes on Jesus. Do what you do is unto the Lord.

See to me one of the greatest gifts, if not the greatest gift

that God has given a church is prayer.

And it's the most challenging thing to get Christians to do

because if you pray in secret, the pastor's not waking you up

saying, Axel, wake up, come on, let's go spend time with Jesus.

Right. I'm not talking about the

discipleship groups. I'm not talking about church on

Sunday. I love meetings like this.

I think it's wonderful. But I want to tell you, I love

to meet with Jesus. I love to spend time with the

Lord. I, I, I love to hear from his

word and sometimes I do get tired.

Sometimes I do get bored. Sometimes I don't read all the

scripture that I wanted to read or set out to do that day.

But the fact of the matter is I keep doing it and I don't give

up and I remain faithful. I remember when I was in high

school and I fell in love with playing basketball and in 9th.

Grade I go out for the team and I get cut from the team and I

said I am going to play four or five hours a day on my own and I

would watch these videos on, you know, how to dribble, how to

handle the ball, how to shoot, how to pass and all those things

and I would do these. Same, you know, challenging

practice events every single day.

And I went out for the team. Next year I made the team.

And then I sat the bench for that year.

And then I go out for varsity my 11th year and I sit the bench,

and my 12th year I sit the bench.

And I'm so frustrated that in the middle of my senior year, I

quit because I didn't feel like anybody who I needed to take

notice so that I could get in the game really cared.

And I always thought the other people who played longer than

me, they have more opportunity than I do.

So I quit. But I still continue to play

because I like to play. And then I go to a two year

school and I only go for about a year.

And while I'm there, I have no direction in life and I'm just

playing intramurals in the college.

And the coach of the college team walks by and says, hey, you

should go out for the team. So I'm thinking all the people

who play in college are all the All Stars from high school.

Why would I make the team? Well, I made the team and the

first game of the year that we played, I didn't start but I

played more minutes, my first. Game than I did three years

combined of high school playing time and I played and then I got

injured and I wasn't able to play and then I left and went to

the state of Delaware became a youth pastor kind of played in

and out thought that all that was over but I still love to

play and then we moved to Pensacola.

I don't hardly play except a little bit, and then God calls

us to move to the Philippines. Little.

Do I know? That the number one sport in

this nation is basketball. And here I am, one day playing

basketball at the House of Manny Pacquiao.

Do you know how many people I've been able to share the gospel

with through basketball in this nation?

I mean, there are people I've played with congressmen, with

senators, I played with former PBA players, I've played with

different celebrities and stuff who I didn't know were

celebrities. But it really doesn't matter

because my identity is not as a basketball player, it's in the

Lord. And and what he's been able to

do with my life has been nothing but honor and glory to Him.

Because I look at it and I go, you're allowing me to do the

desires, the things. That I like to do as long as

those things don't get in the way of my relationship with you,

friend. Humble yourself and God will

lift you up. We're talking about years.

I'm not talking about in a week's time, a month's time, a

year. I'm talking about decades.

God is faithful. He's watching over every area

and detail of your life. Don't give up.

Be faithful. Let God exalt you.

Let God lift you up. Let God receive the glory

because you were patient and waited upon.

Those of you who want to get married, I want to tell you

continue to wait, continue to walk in purity, continue to fall

in love with Jesus and continue to meet with Pastor Buddy who

will connect you to somebody at some.

Point, let me finish #5 Longitude and latitude directs

our fortitude. Listen, missionaries strengthen

others in Christ. Now, when I say a missionary,

I'm not just talking about someone like myself who moved

overseas. I'm saying everyone who calls

himself a Christian should view themselves as a missionary, no

matter where God's call them to be.

But if you don't see yourself as a history.

Maker, as someone that God has raised up as an Ester for this

generation, as someone that God has set apart and has given

testimony and who has said this is my son, this is my daughter,

and there's an anointing on your life and you've patiently walked

with the Lord. My friend, I'm telling you that

God will send you to places and be amongst people in different

locations that you would have only dreamed about.

That's why I get excited. I'm more excited for when I see

the Filipinos that we've been able to pour into become people

that God has raised up and sent. Out, friend, God wants to send

you, you hear me? God wants to send you.

OK, you're going to go to fire school at some point, OK, just

listen to your mom and dad, all right?

And then I'll take you to Army Navy when you can start eating

that type of food. OK, Number six, multitudes need

our fortitude. Multitudes, friend.

There are billions of people who do not know Jesus.

If you're not strong, how are you going to represent what a

true Christian looks like? I didn't say you got to be

perfect, but I'm saying be like that sword on that anvil that's

being hammered away, that's being bent and that's being

hammered again and again and again become.

Strong in the Lord, in the power of his mind.

Do it over and over and over again because.

Unfortunately, there's a lot of people call themselves

Christians and people who call themselves leaders that the

world looks at and says, well, you don't even follow what Jesus

says, so why should I follow what you say?

We either believe this and add it or we defame the name of

Jesus. I do not want to stand before

God and say I wish I would have been more faithful to you.

I don't because eternity is a long time.

And how many you believe that Jesus is going to be worth every

second of our life and eternity to be given the glory and honor

that we could bring to Him? Lastly, gratitude comes from our

fortitude. You know what I've learned is

that if I'm thankful, testimonies keep coming.

Keep coming. Over and over and over again.

It always shocks me. I was when I was in the States.

Maybe some of you saw this post on Facebook.

I was driving a van that we had. So this white 2011 Honda van we

have in the States. Two weeks before we came back to

the Philippines in January, the engine died.

Two weeks. We'd use it for four months.

And I'm thinking, you know what, just keep your peace.

Don't say anything you're going to regret.

Trust the Lord. He's in control.

A church that we were going to next said we're going to help

pay for a new engine for your vehicle.

Wow. So the car sits.

I come back July 3rd, I pick up the vehicle.

I'm like, praise God. You know, we're going to be able

to go all over the place and do what I need to do.

And I take it to get an oil change just to get it checked

out. And we have these creatures in

the US called squirrels. Yes, they're cute.

They got bushy little tails, but let me tell you, they're demons.

One of these, or maybe more than one of these squirrels, while

our van was sitting, got in and ate our air filter and our air

conditioned filter. They made a nest out of it.

There were acorns all throughout our engine, so we cleaned it out

had. Those replaced and the car ran

fine. Well, I'm in the state of

Delaware. I go to a place called Rehoboth

Beach as I'm getting some shopping things done and I'm

going to drive back to my mom's house, which is 1/2 hour away.

And as I'm driving this vehicle, the transmission slips and I'm

like, Oh no, look, the most expensive thing on a car is the

engine. The second thing is the

transmission. We just had the engine replaced.

I don't want to replace the transmission something and oh,

no. I pull it over quickly on the

side of the road. It's really hot outside.

You know, I have my Christian music on.

I had my iced coffee. I was like, oh, love you, Jesus.

As I drive in a car, everything's good.

It's wonderful. You ever feel like that?

And then your transmission slips.

So I pull over and I lookout underneath my van.

There is a puddle of transmission fluid.

I was like, what in the world? Well, like Lord, I again, I'm

going to keep my peace. You see, the more you develop

testimonies, the more you learn how to respond and not react to

situations. And so here I am saying, OK,

every time that I walk in peace, God answers.

So I'm going to walk in peace again.

I'm standing there trying to decide what to do.

So I put on Facebook. I said, you know, maybe somebody

will know a mechanic who I should take the vehicle to.

Hey, took a picture of it. How many of you saw that

picture? Some of you in the van?

OK, so I I took a picture and I figured somebody would give me

some insight. Well, the floodgates of

mechanics open up and I5 or 6-7 different ideas from people.

I'm like, Oh no, now I got too many ideas.

Lord, where do you want me to go?

And he makes it clear, this one guy who I never met before and

while I'm standing there now I can call the tow truck to tell

them where to take me to. So I call and they say the tow

trucks going to be two hours before he could get there, which

is kind of normal in a situation like that in the States.

Well, around the corner, a young man that.

Used to be in my youth group in the mid 1990s.

Drives around the corner and he sees me standing there and he

says I know that guy. And he pulls over and he goes,

what happened? He says, get my vehicle.

You know, he's got the air on and everything.

We literally have a divine appointment for two hours.

He's pouring out his heart. I'm sharing my heart.

And it was just so wonderful. And this young man, his name's

Casey, spells it different than Casey.

This guy is one of the elders at the church I used to youth

pastor at, and he was telling me some of the challenges that

they've faced lately. And you know what he says to me

to encourage me? He says, I'm so grateful that

you have been someone in my life for all these years, have been

faithful because remember this, Casey was there on the day that

I stood up in front of the church and repented.

I let Casey down at that time. Now, he didn't tell me that, but

I know I did, as I did many people at the time.

But see, every year I go back to the States in October.

I always speak at that church and you know what Casey does?

There's been about 5-4 or five pastors since I was at that

church in the mid 90s. You know what he tells every new

pastor that comes in? Oh, we just want to let you know

that Eric Miller is our missionary.

So we don't care what you want to do.

But Eric's going to be speaking here in October.

He didn't say it that direct like that, but.

But it really means everything to me that my thankfulness for

what God's done in my life. I could be bitter about having

to be exposed for sin. I I could be bitter I can have

an attitude. I could say, who are you to

judge me? Who are you to criticize me or?

I could say, Father, forgive me, Jesus, change me, and then watch

what God does to mold and shape it.

And here I am talking with KC, somebody I've known for probably

30 years, and yet he's faithful. You know what?

He has a. Passion for India he's gone to

India almost every year loves missions, loves going to India,

loves the people there, goes there and and he's in his glory

I look at. That and I go God, only you

could have done this. Friend, can I encourage you?

Be. Thankful for what?

God's. Done.

Don't beat yourself up or let the enemy beat you up, or let

other people beat you up with all the things that you did or

didn't do right. Just come.

Before Jesus. Say, Lord, I thank you.

For being faithful, for strengthening me.

Can you put up? The next slide, George

Whitfield. One of the leaders greatest, one

of the greatest preachers of all time during the the Great

Awakening in America in the 1700s said this what get to

heaven in your own strength. You might as well try to climb

to the moon on a rope of sand. A rope of sand.

What is he? Saying, he's saying.

If you make something. Like this to the moon.

And think. That you are.

Going to accomplish anything in this life because of your own

mind and power and strength, You're as foolish as trying to

make a ladder out of sand. Friend, it's impossible for you

and I. In our.

Own ability. And our flesh to be successful.

In this life. Oh, you might.

Make money in this life. You might have a beautiful

spouse and beautiful kids and have a nice house or car and all

those things, but I want to tell you something.

When you die, you can't take. Any of that with you to heaven.

And there's nothing wrong if God blesses you in that.

Way. But the reality is, if your

strength comes from what you do and not who you are in Christ,

then you're not as strong as you think you are.

Proverbs. 20. 4 verse 10 says. If you faint in the day of

adversity, your strength is small if.

You faint in the day of adversity.

Your strength is small. Can I ask everybody to stand?

It is. Such an honor for.

Us to be missionaries in the Philippines.

It really is. I've I've.

Said this for years. Nobody twists our arm to be a

missionary here. When I'm driving to America and

in New York where I'm from, or Delaware where we lived, or

Florida, all these places, it's wonderful to see people, but I'm

always looking forward to getting back here.

This is. What God's called so and I

always. Get asked the same.

Question, when I'm back in the States, how long do you think

you're going to live in the Philippines?

Are you? Going to die there, I.

I say, well, I really can't tell you.

That I have no idea. I don't know if the Lord would

call us to go somewhere else, but right now all I know is that

where we are, we're committed to whatever the Lord wants to do.

That's it. I.

I. Can't make.

Plans for the future unless I know that God is saying do this.

Or that and all we know is that God said move to the Philippines

in January 2003. Being here as a missionary.

Our number one goal? Is.

To make disciples who make disciples.

I preach about revival. But I'm not just.

Talking about big meetings. I'm talking about something

taking place in your heart. I'm talking about God giving.

You strength and courage, fortitude in your life to press

through. Listen where you are AT and the

hardships you might be experiencing right now.

Look up here. Look at me.

You're not going to be there. Forever.

OK, you're not going to be there forever.

Be faithful. Know the Lord's voice.

Share testimonies. Serve wholeheartedly.

Make yourself to be a man or a woman of God.

Don't get caught. Up in what, everybody?

Else is doing be caught up in God's Word, in his presence.

Be caught up in the fellowship of the Saints.

My friend, God has a great plan for your life.

He absolutely does. But.

I. Can't.

Fulfill your plan for you. I can as.

The other leaders here? We can give you tools on how to

fulfill the calling God has for your life, but you got to find

out who you are in the Lord and you got to be faithful to grow

in it.